Oscar Robertson Trophy Finalists Named

The U.S. Basketball Writers Association named 15 finalists for the 2015 Oscar Robertson Trophy, to be presented to the association’s national player of the year.

The award will be presented at the Devon Energy College Basketball Awards on April 14 at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City.

Among the finalists are five seniors, six juniors, one sophomore and two freshmen.

Oscar Robertson Trophy Finalists

Ron Baker, Wichita State

Malcolm Brogdon, Virginia

Willie Cauley-Stein, Kentucky

Former Louisville Guard Chris Jones Pleads Not Guilty to Rape, Sodomy (UPDATED)

Former Louisville point guard Chris Jones pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges of rape and sodomy of two different women.

Jones, 23, appeared in Jefferson District Court before Judge Sheila Collins. He was released on home incarceration instead of a $25,000 bond.

From the Louisville Courier Journal:

The warrant, signed Wednesday by Jefferson District Judge Katie King, says that one of the women was hospitalized Sunday and able to identify Jones as her assailant. One of the women is 19 and the other 20, according to the warrant.

A second warrant says Jones, along with two other people, forced a woman to have intercourse and oral sex. She also identified Jones as a U of L player, according to the warrant. She was taken to University of Louisville Hospital, where she was treated.

Those defendants have been arrested and are to be arraigned Thursday morning in Jefferson County Jail. Jessie Halladay, a spokeswoman for the Jefferson County Attorney’s Office , identified them as Tyvon Walker and Jalen Tilford. Walker was charged with one count of rape and Tilford with one count of rape and one count of sodomy.

Okafor Drops 30 in Return as Duke Fends off Virginia Tech

After missing Saturday’s game against Clemson with an ankle injury, Jahlil Okafor didn’t miss a beat in his return.

Despite being a game-time decision, the projected No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft went for 30 points on 13-of-18 shooting, including 4 points in overtime, and added 9 rebounds as No. 4 Duke fended off a pesky Virginia Tech team, 91-86, in Blacksburg, Va.

It was just the sixth 30-point outing ever for a Duke freshman.

“My coaches had told me to let them know if I wanted to play or not,” he said, according to NewsObserver.com. “Once I got in the locker room and say my teammates get ready, there was no way I wasn’t playing today.”

“If he would have said, ‘I don’t think so,’ then we wouldn’t have played him,” Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said. “And we would have lost.”

2016 Shooting Guard Trent Forrest Turning Heads

By JACK LeGWIN

LAKELAND, Fla.– Trent Forrest , a 6-foot-3 2016 shooting guard from Chipley (FL), has turned many heads during the season, but he made a statement in the Florida state tournament, averaging 32.5 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists in two wins over Malone and Hawthorne.

“It feels great,” Forrest told SNY.tv after the state championship win over Hawthorne in which he scored 26 points, grabbed 11 boards and added in 7 assists. “It feels great to come here and actually win one. It’s really just amazing.”

The No. 32 ranked junior in the nation by 247 Sports, Forrest scored 39 points and grabbed 9 rebounds in front of Louisville head coach Rick Pitino and assistant Mike Balado and in a win over Malone in the state semifinals.

“One of the assistants texted me after the game,” Forrest said. “I didn’t even know that Coach Pitino or the assistants were here to be honest. But it’s definitely a good look because he’s one of the best coaches in all of the NCAA.”